From pineapple rice to sticky meatballs, these sides are bright, fun, and sure to delight. With influences from Portugal, Puerto Rico, Asia, and Native Hawaii, Hawaiian food brings a wonderful melting pot of flavors. If you’re hosting a luau party or just have a hankering for Hawaiian food, you’ve come to the right place. No need to take a trip to the tropics, because I have all the recipes you need for the most scrumptious Hawaiian side dishes. Apart from the dynamite flavors, these sides are also a cinch to make. Bring the flavors of Hawaii to your home with these tempting side dishes!
1. Hawaiian Coleslaw
This Hawaiian coleslaw is crunchy and tangy, and it’s a must at every luau. Do you know what I love about Hawaiian cuisine? There’s pineapple in everything! I have to admit… I even love pineapple on pizza. (Don’t judge me!) So, the fact that this coleslaw has pineapple in it makes me so happy. The vibrant tropical fruit does a fine job of adding more flavor and texture to the classic slaw. Together with slaw mix, carrots, and a tangy rice wine vinegar dressing, it makes such a refreshing and bright side. Oh, and those heart-shaped carrots? Pure love!
2. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
This Hawaiian macaroni salad is sweet, creamy, and delightful. With a combination of simple ingredients – macaroni, carrots, mayo, salt, and pepper – it’s perfect for any Hawaiian meal. The key to this addictive salad? The mayo! It’s obviously not the healthiest of ingredients, but hey, it’s worth every calorie. You can use Greek yogurt as a substitute if you’re feeling guilty, but honestly, it won’t be nearly as good.
3. Pineapple Rice
Have you ever tried combining pineapple and rice? If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? With pineapple chili flakes and lime juice, this dish has a delicate balance of sweet, savory, and spicy. It’s the ideal tropical side! Plus, it’s easy to make. Just throw everything together in a pan and cook! It’s so fool-proof, anyone can make it.
4. Hawaiian Rolls
Sweet, tender, and fluffy: that’s what these rolls are all about. Pineapple juice gives the rolls a wonderful and subtly sweet, tropical flavor. Top these rolls with butter and honey for the perfect bite. Use them for sliders, too!
5. Hawaiian Fried Rice
This Hawaiian fried rice is a great side dish, but it’s packed with a variety of ingredients, so you can enjoy it on its own as well. The sweet and savory ingredients make the rice so tasty and hearty. Complete with sweet ham, eggs, red bell pepper, and of course, pineapples, this fried rice is the complete package! This recipe also makes use of leftover, day-old rice. You don’t want to use freshly cooked rice here, as you’ll only end up with a mushy mess.
6. Hawaiian Baked Beans
Loaded with bits of sweet ham and chunks of… you guessed it… pineapple, these Hawaiian baked beans are sweet, savory, and oh-so-hearty. You can’t go wrong with baked beans made with brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, and cider vinegar. The addition of ham and pineapple makes it even more spectacular! It comes together so easily too, making it the perfect BBQ side.
7. Hawaiian Potato Mac Salad
Put macaroni salad and potato salad together, and you’ll have double the goodness! This side dish has the lovely flavors and textures of both a creamy macaroni salad and a starchy potato salad. The sweet peas and carrots give it an even more phenomenal texture!
8. Hawaiian Meatballs
This crowd-pleaser only takes three ingredients and five minutes of prep time. So easy! Whether you serve these Hawaiian meatballs as an appetizer, side dish, or entrée (topped over rice), you can’t go wrong. The pineapple also adds a refreshing tropical twist that makes it even more addictive.
9. Hawaiian Kabobs
These sweet kabobs are so ridiculously yummy, they’ll disappear in minutes. They’re a backyard party must-have! Chicken kabobs, red bell peppers, onions, and pineapple skewered on a stick, and grilled to perfection: that’s what I’m talking about! They’re vibrant, refreshing, and downright delicious. It’s the epitome of summer flavors!
10. Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Bites
Wrapping pineapple in bacon is a genius idea! Seriously, it deserves an award. These bacon-wrapped pineapple bites are so addictive. Bursting with sweet, juicy, and smoky flavors, each bite is like fireworks in your mouth! Apart from their drool-worthy goodness, they’re also a breeze to make. Serve these at any party, and they’ll be an instant hit.
11. Chicken Long Rice
This Chinese-inspired Hawaiian dish is delicious, hearty, and easy to make. Looking for a unique side for your next meal? This chicken long rice is sure to impress! Unlike traditional American rice, Chicken long rice is more like a soup. Popular at luaus across the island. This Hawaiian noodle soup is all about comfort. It’s made with glass noodles or vermicelli, which are thin, chewy, almost transparent noodles. Swimming in chicken broth and mixed with chicken, green onions, and ginger, it’s a light and refreshing side that’s perfect with any Hawaiian entrée.
12. Purple Sweet Potatoes
These purple sweet potatoes are another traditional luau food. No one can say no to this sweet and bright purple mash! What sets this side apart is the use of Okinawan sweet potatoes. Unlike traditional sweet potatoes, they get a deeper, more intense purple hue as they cook. So pretty!
13. Orange Coconut Salad
Oranges and coconut together in one salad? How delightful! Sweet, tangy, and bursting with flavor, this salad works both as a side dish and a dessert. Plus, it’s low in calories, too! Making use of only healthy ingredients – oranges, coconut, and Greek yogurt – it’s a completely guilt-free treat even the strictest weight-watchers can enjoy. You can stick with the basic ingredients, but you can also add more if you’d like. You can’t go wrong with whipped cream, cherries, berries, marshmallows, and as always, pineapple. Enjoy this salad as is or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Mmm… so good!
14. Banana Bread
If you love baking, you most likely already have a favorite banana bread recipe. While I’m sure it makes a tender and fluffy bread, I still suggest you give this one a try. Unlike other recipes, this one makes use of a special ingredient that makes incredibly moist banana bread. It’s so tender it melts in your mouth! So, can you guess what the special ingredient is? No? Well… it’s none other than pineapple! We’re talking about Hawaiian dishes, after all.
15. Hawaiian Corn Chowder
This incredibly thick and creamy Hawaiian corn chowder is brimming with flavor. Complete with starchy potatoes, fresh sweet corn, canned cream corn, and chives, it’s the most refreshing chowder. Hearty, rich, and satisfying, it’s the perfect comfort food for cold weather!
16. Hawaiian Mango Bread
This Hawaiian mango bread is sweet, fluffy, and tender. Whether you serve it as is or with some melted butter, it’s marvelous either way. When it comes to fruit-flavored bread, banana bread is king. But this Hawaiian mango bread deserves the spotlight as well. Bursting with tropical mango flavor, it’s a tasty side to any Hawaiian delight. Click on a star to rate it!
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